Destiny
by Robyn-in-the-air
Summary: "So you're… immortal," she stated. "Yeah…" I said, avoiding her eyes. There was a moment of silence. Then: "Funny, so am I." In which Merlin wasn't the only one in Albion with a destiny.
1. Prologue

I don't own Merlin...

PROLOGUE

* * *

It had been months now. Months since Arthur had died, since Merlin had pushed his king into the water and seen the boat drift away to be engulfed by the thick fog.

Months since he was told that the Once and Future King would come back.

It was too long. Merlin couldn't wait for a few months, how is he going survive the decades ahead of him? Especially with this newfound information of being _immortal._

 _What was the point?_

He kept moving though, different places every few weeks, a cabin there, a little hole in the ground that reminded him too much of Morgana but he stayed there because he had nowhere else to go.

Well.

There was Camelot.

But he was never going back there again. He knew Gwen, _dear sweet Guinevere,_ would be disappointed, hurt, but he just couldn't live there again. Even glimpsing the towering parapets of the castle caused an unspeakable ache to bloom in his heart. It was too much.

So he wandered the kingdoms, searching for everything and nothing, mourning the loss of his life, his friends, _his happiness._

Until he met Autumn.


	2. Chapter 1

There was a man sitting in my spot.

Pitch black hair, brown jacket, and I could see threads of a red scarf hanging from his neck in the back. He was slumped over the edge, staring out into the lake.

"Hello?" I ventured, hesitantly.

He spun around so fast it gave me whiplash and stared at me with wide-eyes and a startled expression.

"Hi," was all he said.

We were silent for a few seconds, before I stammered, "Um, sorry to bother you, I was just - I mean - I usually sit here so -"

I cut myself off, realizing just how childish I sounded.

"Oh."

We stared at each other some more.

"What's your name?" I asked awkwardly, moving to sit a few feet away from him at the edge of the lake.

He looked at me perplexed, like he wasn't sure what exactly was happening right now.

To be honest, I wasn't either. All I knew was, I hadn't any social interaction in the past six months, and sitting here beside a man clearly hadn't had any either, was the closest I was willing to get to it.

"Merlin," he finally responded.

I nodded. "Autumn."

A glance in my direction was the only indication I got that he'd even heard.

"Okay…"

We both gave up on talking after that and just sat there.

* * *

I was drifting, crying out for someone to help me.

 _Please. Please, I need someone. I can't do this alone._

 _Come back, I'm begging. It wasn't his fault, don't punish him, it was mine, I didn't mean to, I promise._

 _Where are you? Listen to me,_ _ **please.**_

* * *

It was a bad day.

The man wasn't there, and I sat by myself on the banks of the lake and stared deep into the waters.

My fists were clenched, my whole body tensed. I gritted my teeth and squeezed my eyes shut to hold back the avalanche in my mind, the hurricane, storm, the _disaster_ in my mind.

Fighting back tears, I got up and walked back to the cabin of sorts I'd made near the lake. Angrily slamming the door shut, I sat myself down in a chair and shoved my head in my hands.

The memories wouldn't _stop._

" _Autie. Auuuuuutie. Autumn!" Will called._

" _Yes, my majestic, amazing, awe-inspiring young prince?"_

" _Where've you been?" He narrowed his eyes in suspicion._

" _Nowhere," I remarked innocently._

" _Autumn. I am your master. You have to tell me."_

" _You know I'm technically older than you, right?"_

" _By two days," he deadpanned._

" _Still older," I teased._

" _Don't change the subject, Autie. Where were you?"_

" _Ugh, why are you so nosy? I swear for a teenaged prince who probably has way more productive things to do, like be pretentious and arrogant and go on dangerous quests without his sword-"_

" _That happened once when I was 10!" He interrupted defensively._

" _\- you are awfully interested in a mere servant's life."_

" _You know what? I give up. Do whatever you want, I don't care. It's not like I haven't known you for almost your entire life, and you know, I'm the_ only person who knows about your magic," _he said casually._

 _I stared at him incredulously. "You're using the magic? Real mature, Will."_

" _I know, right?" He quipped, smirking._

 _I rolled my eyes and relented, "I was just talking with David," I said, avoiding his gaze._

" _The baker's son? That David?" He said, unimpressed._

" _Yes, that David! Shut up, Will," I smacked his shoulder._

" _I'm just saying, there are better options, you know. Better than_ David the baker's son," _he drawled the words like they were something horrid._

" _What, like you?" I laughed._

 _Silence._

" _Will?"_

" _Yeah, no, shut up, Autie. Come on, I'm hungry, fetch dinner from the kitchens," he said dismissively and walked away._

" _O… kay?"_

I snapped myself out of the haze and immediately got up to open the book I'd been reading before, rubbing my hands vigorously on my face to get rid of the tears.

 _Advanced Spells For a Healer_ had been a book I'd been trying to read properly for years now, but I'd never had the time. My magic has always been inclined towards healing and nurturing, peaceful spells. I was absolutely horrible at battle spells and enchantments, much to the frustration of anyone who knew I had magic.

Which was only one person, really.

Who was dead.

I sighed. _It's like my mind can't stay away._

Trying desperately to clear my head, I focused on the book and let everything else slip away.

* * *

He was there today. _Merlin._

Peculiar name, but I could swear I'd heard it somewhere before.

He sat with his legs stretched out in front of him, his arms in the back, holding him up. I couldn't see his face from behind, but he seemed peaceful.

I turned to walk back, figuring the reason he came here was to be alone.

"Autumn, right?"

I froze, then spun to face him. "Um, yes."

"Were you going to sit here?" He asked, finally turning his head to face me directly.

I didn't respond, just stared at him.

He stared back.

Still saying nothing, I went to sit next to him on the banks.

"Do you live in the cabin near here?"

"Why?"

"Just asking. You seem a little young to live alone in the woods, that's all."

"You seem a little young to have such old eyes."

Silence.

"I'll leave it alone."

"Thank you."

We sat in silence for hours.

* * *

Thanks for reading... is it good? Should I write more? I already started the second chapter so... I don't know.


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